Television transmitting system



Aug. 14; 1945.

A. N. GOLDSMITH TELEVIS ION TRANSMITTING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 26, 1942 TT JA- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IMAGE I sIGNAL VERTICAL HORIZONTAL D FLEGTION DEFLECTION GENERATOR GENERATOR (60 (l5'750 I TO LINE SYNC GENERATOR AMPLIFIER TO FRAME SYNC GENERATOR IMAGE SIGNAL AMPLIFIER r OUTPUT 1 I, 3

I 2a 2a 34\\VERTI CAL HORIZONTAL 60 DEFLECTION DEFLECTION 36 o GENERATOR GENERATOR INVENTOR STUDIO LIGHTS QIYJSED N. G LDSMITH ATTORNEY v 1945' A. N. GOLDSMITH 2,381,901-

TELEVISION TRANSMITTING SYSTEM Filed Aug. V26, 1942 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 This-1E- 42 I25 I20 CONTACTS I.O R. PS.

. A '76 I Q I20 CONTACTS I20 CONTACTS IZOCONTACTS I I.O R.P.S.

GEAR

I 1-90 CONTACT O.25/R.P.S.

0.25 R.P.S.

INVENTOR ALFRED N. ca LDSMITH .A'TTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELEVISION TRANSMITTING SYSTEM Alfred N. Goldsmith, New York, N. Y. Application August 26, 1942, Serial No. 456,133

' Claims. (01. 178-6.8)

This invention relates to animprovement in television transmitters and, more particularly, to

a system wherein it is possible to present television es in slow motion'.

The use of slow motion in television is highly desirable but has heretofore been impossible, since no practical arrangement has been devised where it is possible to Present television images in slow motion, particularly where the subject matter is obtained from direct pick-up.

Slow motion in the moving picture field is relatively simple, since it entails merely theoperation' of a camera at a relatively high rate of speed to expose successive frames of a film in rapldsuccession, the film after processing and printing being run through a projector at normal projection rates with the result that the subject matter photographed, together with the apparent motion, is shown in slow motion" so that the actual time elapse has been increased several fold.

Slow motion in television is, therefore, conveniently possible where a film intermediate may be used, since the film technique of slow motion may be employed. However, slow motion in television, from the standpoint of direct pick-up, is

3 not'equally simple and necessarily entails the use of an appropriate assembly of apparatus. Naturally, some relatively long-term picture storage means must be provided, since the subject matter per se cannot be slowed down; and where the subject matter being transmitted is derived from direct pick-up, special means are provided whereby electrical replicas of a series 01' successive television frames may be stored or retained for a predetermined length of time in order that they may be subsequently immediately, or shortly subsequently used to produce images on the screens of the various television receiving apparatus.

' The present invention accomplishes slow motion without the use of an intermediate film, and provides means'whereby it becomes possible at any particular desired'instant to portray in slow motion a certain occurrence even though the subject matter is being immediately televized, and the television images are derived from direct pickup I Such a television system is highly desirable at races or othr competitive or sporting events to observe in detail an action which transpires in Y a relatively short length 01 time or for various other purposes familiar to those skilledin the art.

It is, therefore, one purpose of the present invention to provide a slow motion televisiontransmitslow motion pictures.

A still further purpose of the present invention resides in the provision of means for transmitting television images in slow motion wherein the movement following the slow motion interval is immediately portrayed in normal motion with an omission of only part of the normal motion which transpired during the time of presentation of the slow motion images. Still another purpose of the present lnventio resides in the provision of a slow motion television transmitting system wherein movements of persons or things may be portrayed in, slow motion during a predetermined interval with further means whereby a succession of adjacent intervals of substantially the same duration may be presented in slow motion form.

Still another purpose of the present invention resides in the provision of a plurality of television image storing devices whereby electrical replicas of the motion may be retained for a predetermined length of time for subsequent use in presenting slow motion television images.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide means for appropriately changingthe intensity or character of the illumination of the televized scene during the slow motion pick-up period.

Still other purposes-and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description; particularly when considered in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figures la and lb represent, by way of example, one embodiment of the present invention.

In order thattrue slow motion television images may be presented it is naturally necessary to scan the subject matter or. an image of the subject matter at an increased scanning rate to thereby produce image or video signals representative o! a relatively large number of individual and sequential images of the particular subject matter. In normal television transmission practice the subject matter to be transmitted, or an' image thereof, is scanned'at' a predetermined rate to therebyproduce image signals which, after transmission to the receiver, are

ting system whereby the actual rate or movement utilized to produce television images. Accordcluding a light sensitive surface and a signal plate and wherein an electrongun structure i4 is also provided to develop a scanning electron beam. Associated with the pick-up or camera tube is a lens system it for projecting optical images of the subject matter to be televized upon the mosaic electrode l2. The electron gun structure 14 when subjected to proper operating potentials develops a cathode ray beam which when deflected in mutually perpendicular directions by means of the deflecting coil I I is caused to scan the surface of the mosaic electrode I2 to produce image or video signals which are applied to an image signal amplifier 20. ,For deflecting the cathode ray beam in both horizontal and vertical directions a vertical deflection generator 22 is provided, as is also a horizontal deflection generator 24. The vertical deflection generator is supplied with timing impulses in order that the deflection frequency may be maintained constant and, in order that the proper ratio of deflection rates may be maintained, frequency dividers or multipliers are generally interposed between the vertical and horizontal deflection genera-tors.

In order to facilitate in describing theoperation of the present invention it will be assumed, by way of example, that the normal operating frequency of the normal speed television pick-up coil 32 of tube 30 the cathode ray beam will be caused to scan the mosaic electrode at a line frequency of 63,000 lines per second and a field frequency of 240 fields per second. It is convenient to operate the timings of deflection generators 34 and 38 as multiples of those of the respective generators 22 and 24 by the interposition of suitable frequency multipliers therebetween.

Scanning of the mosaic electrode in tube produces image or video signals which are amplifled by the picture signal amplifier 38. Inasmuch as the scanning rate in tube 30 isassumed to be four times the scanning rate in tube l0 then the generated image signals will have a top frequency of the order of four times the top frequency of the image signals generated by the camera tube 10. Th image signal amplifier 38 must, therefore, be of exceptionally wide band width in order that an extreme range of image signals may be amplified thereby with the proper degree of fldelity. The image signals after appropriate amplification are then impressed upon conductor 42 by way of switch 40.

The switches and 28 are mechanically connected together so that when slow motion television images are desired both of the switches are simultaneously operated to close switch 40 and or camera tu be I0 is at 60 flelds per'second and at 15,750 lines per second (that is at the rate of 30 double interlaced 525 line pictures per second). Accordingly, the voltage variations supplied by the vertical deflection generator 22 will vary in wave form at the rate of 60 cycles per second,

whereas the horizontal deflection generator 24 will produce voltage variations having a frequency of 15,750 cycles per second. Energy fromboth of thesedeflection generators is then applied to the deflecting coil- I 8 in order to deflect'the cathode ray beam in mutually perpendicular directions at the desired rates in order that the mosaic electrode may be scanned to produce image signals. The image signals after amplification are then available at the output terminal 26, provided switch 28 is in the position as 'shown in the drawings.

For the purpose of this description it will be assumed that the retardation ratio is 4 to 1, and on this assumption the television pick-up or camera tube that is used for the production of slow motion television images will operate at exactly four times the speed of the normal television pick-up or camera tube. A second television camera tube 30 is, therefore, provided which is similar to tube 10. The tube also has associated therewith a deflecting coil 32, and the deflecting coil is supplied with energy from an associated vertical deflection generator 34 and.

horizontal deflection generator 38. The vertical deflection generator is controlled to operate at 240 cycles per second (assuming a 4-to 1 retardation ratio), while the horizontal deflection generator is controlled to operate at 63,000 cycles per second. When energy from these two deflection generators is supplied to the deflecting to thereby apply image signals to the slow motion storage network and to also position switch 28 such that the image signals derived from the slow motion storage circuit may be made available at the output terminal 26. The image signals available from the terminal 26, either as derived directly from pick-up or camera tube H) or indirectly from the slow motion pick-up or camera tube 30, are then subjected to further amplificationand have combined therewith line and frame synchronizing signals which are supplied by a line or frame synchronizing generator (not shown). To control the line and frame synchronzing generator energy may be applied thereto from the vertical and horizontal deflection generators 22 and 24, respectively. After the synchronizing signals have been combined with the image signals the composite series of signals may then be for the transmission.

Inaddition to assuming, by way of example, that the retardation factor is taken as four, it will be assumed also that normal action for a time duration of one second will be expanded into four seconds of slow motion television. In other words, movement which transpires in an interval of one second is presented in slow motion having a duration of four seconds. I

For storing the very rapidly produced image signals a plurality ofstorage tubes are provided three of which are shown at 44, 45 and 46. The specific construction of'these storage tubes will not be discussed in detail, since a description of such a tube is to be found in the publication Television by Zworykin and Morton (John Wiley 8: Sons, Inc., 1940) on pages 326 and 327.

The tubes, however, include a double sided mosaic electrode 48 and two gun structures 50 and 52. The gun structures are arranged to scan opposite sides of the mosaic ll and when a modulated cathode ray beam is caused to impinge upon one side of the mosaic an electrostatic charge image will ,be produced thereon which may be removed 1 by the electron gun structure in the opposite end mosaiej'which is a result of the voltage variation applied to the second anode l4. When the opposite side of the mosaic ll is scanned by the cathode ray beam produced by the gunistructure i2 signals may be derived from the second anode If associated .with this cathode ray beam. The potential variations which exist on the mosaic electrode 48 are, therefore, transformed into a signal which may be collected from the second anode 58 when the mosaic is scanned by the cathode ray beam. Naturally, a deflecting means is associated with each gun structure, but such means has been omitted in the drawings for simplicity.

If, as above assumed, a'time duration of one second is to be expanded into four seconds of slow motion television, then 120 storage tubes will be required. Each storage tube is a able of le taining a complete television frame lficludlng two field scansion cycles. This is on the basis that a 2 to 1 interlace scanning system is employed as I is standard television practice. When interlaced scanning is employed two successive television fields are required to complete a television frame and an electrostatic charge image of a complete television frame (including two fields) may be deposited upon each'storage .tube. The charges representing each of the two fields may be removedin succession by the cathode ray beam provduced by the gun structure I! when the mosaic electrode I of the storage tube is scanned by an interlaced pattern. When no interlacing is employed then naturallya number of storage tubes must be employed corresponding to the number of fields or frames which are scanned by the slow motion television camera during theinterval at which slow motion images are to be presented.

In order that the individual image signals as produced bythe slow motion television pick-up tube 30 may be successively applied to the storage tubes so that the images may be retained for a predetermined length of time, some switching arrangement must naturally be employed. Likewise, asimilar switching arrangement, operating in synchronism with the normal motion pick-up or camera tubes, must also be employed for removing the stored signals.

For applying the image signals from the slow motion-camera tube "to the storage tubes in provided. Both the timer and the commutator are driven by a synchronous motor which derives its energy from a ell-cycle power source synchronized with the vertical deflection voltage variatimer 80 is arranged to rotate at 0.25 revolution per second, whereas the distributor 62 is arranged 'to operate at 1.0 revolution per second. The

timer is provided with a brush contact 68 which cooperates with a ring contact ",and the timer also includes a brush contact I0 which cooperates with a quadrant contact or sector 12. The quadrant contact or sector I2 extends ninety degrees around the periphery of the timer on the assumption that a retardation factor. of 4 is chosen.

The commutator 62 includes a brush and ring contact arrangement "for applying current to brush and ring contact 68 and 8t and to the quadrant conductor 12. Since the timer makes 0.25 revolution per second, the brush ll will be in contact with the quadrant 12 for a duration of time equivalent to one second, while the circuit will be interrupted for the next succeeding three second interval. During the second that the brush "II is in contact with the conducting segment 12 the arm '16 will make one complete revolution over the 120 contacts II which are in turn connected individually to the 120 storage tubes 44; II, II, etc. Picture signals representative of each suc= cessive television frameas derived from the slow motion camera tube 30 will, therefore, be applied in succession to the second anode SI of each of the storage tubes to thereby produce an electrostatic charge image on the associated mosaic electrode l8.

Naturally, it is desirable that the cathode ray beam generated by the gun structure It beinitiated only during the interval that a charge image is to be placed on the associated mosaic electrode. This interval for any particular storage tube will occupy ,420 of a second. In order to render the electron gun structure 'ifl inoperative succession a timer '0 and a commutator 62 are tions for controlling the scanning cathode ray beam in the televlsioncamera tubeli. This motor may conveniently be provided with amanually or otherwise rotatable stator so that the phasing of the operation of thetimerfl and the commutator- I! may be accurately controlled in relation to the individual image scannings. The

a biasing potential source 80 is provided, the potential source being connectedbetween the control electrode of the gun structure 50 and the ground by way of resistance 82. The potential supplied by the battery 80 is sumcientlynegative Ito bias the cathode ray beam tocut-ofi, but in order that the cathode ray beam may be generated during, and only during, the desired interval,

a second timer 84 and commutator 86 are provided, the timer ll being substantially identical to the, timer J0 and.the commutator I! being substantially identical to the commutator l2. For convenience of construction and operation, the elements 60, '2, 8.4, and I may be parts. of a unitary assembly which includes also the below described similar elements I04 and Ill. The brush contact 8| of the timer 84 has connected thereto the positive potential source I, the. negative terminal of the potentialsource being connected to g ound. When the brush contact 92 is in contact with the segment 94 a positive potential will then be applied tothe contact arm 98 so that positive control impulses may be applied successively to the control electrodes of the storage tubes ll, 45, 16, etc., byway of commutator contacts 98, I00, "2, etc. The action of "the timer 8 and distributor It, therefore, applies a positive potential to the control electrode of'the motion television camera tube 30 may be effective when applied to the second anode 54 to store a a potential or electrostatic charge image on the mosale 40 of each of the storage tubes representative of the separate television frames as they occur in succession.

A somewhat similar oommutating arrangement is also provided for removing the charge image representing successive television frames, the removal of the charge images occurring at a slower rate in order to producethe illusion of slow motion. Naturally, the charge image on the plurality of storage tubes must be removed in the proper sequence, and for this purpose commutators I04 and I05 are provided. These commutators are similar in construction to commutators i2 and 05, but the commutators I04 and I06 rotate at a speed of 0.25 revolution per second or, in other words, one fourth the speed of revolution of the commutators 02 and 08.

In order that the electrostatic charge image which is produced on the mosaic electrode 40 of each of the storage tubes may be retained it is necessary that no cathode ray beam be permitted to strike the mosaic electrode. Accordingly, a biaspotential source I08 is provided and is connected between the control electrode of the electron gun structure 52 and ground by way of resistance H0. The potential of the source I08 is sufficient to normally block or prevent the formation of a cathode ray beam by the gun structure 52. For permitting the production of a cathode ray beam by the gun structure 52 the plying slow motion television image signals to the output terminal 26.

commutator I08 is used in conjunction with a source of potential H2. The negative terminal of the battery H2 is connected to ground, whereas the positive terminal is connected to brush and ring contact H4 ,for applying a positive potential to the contact arm II8.

The contact arm cooperates with the I20 peripheral contacts H0 to apply positive potential to the control electrodes of the gun structure 52 in order that a cathode ray beam may be produced by the gun structure 52 in each of the storage tubes 44, 45, 45, etc., in sequence and in proper succession.

It is possible to derive the individual cut-off biasses of the tubes 44, 45, 45, etc., from a common source through individual highimpedances beyond which the activating voltage may be briefly applied as described. Numerous equivalent circuit modiflcations fall within the scope of this invention.

When the mosaic electrode 48 is scanned by a cathode ray beam produced by the gun structure 52, image signals may be derived from the second anode 56 representing one complete television frame or two interlaced scanning cycles.

The commutator I04 includes a brush and ring contact assembly I20 and a switch arm I22. The

switch arm cooperates with the I20 peripheral contacts I24, the contacts being individually connected to the second-anode of the gun structure 52 of each of the storage tubes 44, 45. 46, etc. Since the commutator arm I22 makes one revolution in four seconds, picture signals from the second anode 56 of each of the storage tubes are collected in sequence and in succession and are applied by way of brush and ring contact- I20 to the conductor I25. The conductor I25 is then arranged to cooperate with switch I28 for an From the above it may be 'seen, therefore, that motion which normally requires only one second to transpire may be presented on the screen of a television receiver so as to occupy a time duration of four seconds, the presentation of the television image at the receiver occurring at the usual and normal television operating speed. It is, therefore, unnecessary to make any changes whatsoever in the television receiver, all of the apparatus required for producing slow motion television images being located at the television transmitter.

When it is desired to present in slow motion any particular event or motion; it is only necessary to operate switches 40 and 28 (which are mechanically connected together) so that slow motion television images produced by the camera tube 30 may be stored on the storage tubes 44, 45, 45, etc., for a one second time interval, the stored images being removed during substantially that second and for the next succeeding three seconds (and generally with the loss of only a single initial frame).

All of the commutators aswellas the timers are indicated as operating from a single driving motor 64, and such an arrangement is preferably in order to maintain proper synchronous and relative phasal conditions. Since the presentationyof slow motion images begins substantially immediately upon operation of switches 40 and 28, it is actually desirable in practice to delay the scanning of the mosaic electrode in the first storage tube until after an image representing the first complete television frame in slowmotion is stored thereon. The operation of the commutators I04 and. I06 should, therefore, be so phased that a short time interval is permitted to elapse, this time interval being not less than /520 of a. second. If synchronizing signals are to be supplied as indicated above, then in order to maintain proper synchronous operation it would be desirable to delay the presentation of slow motion images for one complete normal television field or of a second. During this interval potentials representative of two frames of slow mo an television will be stored on two of the storage tubes at which time the transmission of the stored images commences. If switches 40 and 28 are maintained closed or in the slow motion television position then a succession of slow motion events may be indicated, the action of each fourth second being split to occupy a continuous time interval. Naturally, the movement which transpires during the three seconds between slow motion intervals will be completely lost. However, this will scarcely ever'be detrimental, particularly if the particular time interval is wisely chosen during which slow motion television images are presented.

Theoretically and in the absence of any ameliorating factors at least four times the light intensity on the televized scene would be necessary for the production of slow motion television images, since the scanning rate is increased four fold. This requirement for additional light intensity may be compensated for by utilizing a faster lens associated with the slow motion television pick-up tube 30, or a more sensitive mosaic electrode could be used. Inthe absence of either of these compensatory measures, switching means could be arranged to operate in conjunction with switches 40 and 28 for increasing the illumination vision. camera tube citation results in an increased illumination in the in the television studio duringthe interval that slow motion is desired. Thus,.for example, the

voltage impressed on a bank of studio incandes cent lamps may be momentarily-increased sufliciently during the slow motion pick-up period, and without appreciable reduction in the total operating life of the lamps. An arrangement for providing the increased illumination is shown, by way of example, in Figure 1a where one or more studio light sources I (preferably of the incandescent type) are connected in series with a resistor I32. The series combination is energized from an appropriate potential source connected to'terminals I. A switch I is connected in parallel with the resistor I32 so that 'whenthe switch is closed, the studio lights I30 are over-excited during the interval of operation of slow motion teleill, and this over-exstudio. The switch I 36 is mechanically or electrically associated with the switches 28 and 40. In order "to avoid waste of power, the resistor I32 may be replaced by another light source.

Momentary over-excitation of the studio lights during the slow motion interval will produce considerable increase in light intensity, and in order that the sudden and relatively intense increase in illumination may not affect ersons being televized,-it is also possible to employ ultra-violet light or infra-red light for the increased illumination, assuming, of course, an appropriately color responsive mosaic electrode is incorporated in the slow motion television camera tube 30. If the mosaic electrode in tube 30 were constructed to be exceedingly responsive in the ultra-violet spectrum, whereas the mosiac in the normal camera tube In had a spectral response similar to that of the human eye, then no switching arrangement 7 would in fact be necessary since the ultra-violet light sources could be left on continuously with'out in any way afl'ording any discomdort in so far as persons being televized is concerned and without interfering with the illumination in so far as the normal camera tube III is concerned. The relatively intense ultra-violet illumination would be suillcient to permit operation of the slow motion camera tube 30.

It is possible materially to simplify the slow motion circuit arrangement described above and to reduce the scanning speed in the normal camera tube ID if each television frame from the slow motion camera tube 30 is applied simultaneously to four of the storage tubes so that the same electrostatic charge image isdeposited on groups of four of the storage tubes simultaneously. The same image could then be scanned as described above at the normal rate to produce anapparent slowness. of motion. Such a system, although 5 simplify the drawings and explanations thereof and in order to present readily a complete and understandable description of the operation of the slow motion television system. Furthermore, it is to be understood that various types of television camera tubes may be used, and that it is not necessary to use the particular form of electron storage type specifically indicated in the drawings. Furthermore, various types of storage tubes may be used, the ones shown being merely representative of various tubes that could be employed.

Various other alterations and modifications may be made in the present invention, and it is desired that any and all, such modifications be considered within the purview of the present invention except as limited by the hereinafter appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what 'I claim is:

1. A slow motion television transmitting system comprising a television camera tube including a target electrode, means to generate a cathode ray beam. means to deflect the cathode ray beam in mutually perpendicular directions to scan the target electrode at a predetermined rate to produce image signals, a plurality of storage tubes each including a storage electrode,

means to store the produced image signals on the storage electrodes of said tubes as electrostatic charges and means to remove the stored image signals at a rate that is slow as compared to their originally produced rate.

2. A slow motion television transmitting system'comprising a television c'amera tube including a light-sensitive target electrode, means to produce an electrostatic charge image of a scene to be transmitted on the target electrode, means to-generate a cathode ray beam, ,means to deflect the cathode ray beam in mutually perpendicular 9 directions to scan the target electrode at a pretube, and means to sequentially remove the physically simpler in so'far as scanning and switching is concerned, is not so desirable, since the resultant images may be Jerky in their motion and not have an apparently smooth reproduction as is the case where multiple speed scanning as previously described herein is employed. Where each television frame image in slowmotion is stored on four storage tubes, the same detail of movement can not possibly to presented as will be the case if a system such above s mp oyed.

Although. timers and ccmmutators of a mechanical nature are shown and described herein,

it is to be understood that electronic switching means could as well be employed for accomplishing the same p p se. Mechanical switching ar rangements have merely been shown in order to as shown and described produced.

4. A slow motion television transmitting sys-- determined rate to produce image signals, a-

plurality of storage tubes each including a storage electrode, means to sequentially store the produced image signals on -the storage electrodes of said tubes as electrostatic charge image replicas of the image scanned in the pick-up stored image signals at a rate that is slow as compared to their originally produced and stored rate.

3. A slow motion television transmitting system comprising a television camera tube having a target electrode, means to generate avcathode ray beam in said tube, means to deflect the cathode ray beam in horizontal and vertical directions to scan the target electrode to produce image signals, a plurality of storage tubes each including a storage electrode, means including a switching arrangement to successively store the image signals produced during a whole number of vertical deflection cycles on a separate storage tube, and means including a second switching arrangement to remove the stored image signals in succession at a rate slow as compared with the rate at which they were originally tem comprising a television camera tube having a light-sensitive target electrode, means to generate a, cathode ray beam inv said tube, means to deflect the cathode ray beam in horizontal and vertical directions to scan said target electrcde to produce imagesignals corresponding to each television line and frame, a plurality of storage tubes each including an electron storage a light-sensitive target electrode, means to gen-' erate a cathode ray beam in said tube, means to deflect the cathode'ray beam in horizontal and vertical directions at different rates to scan saidtarget electrode to produce image signals corresponding to each television line and frame inac'cordance with the horizontal and vertical deflections of the cathode ray beam, a plurality of storage tubes each including an electron storage electrode, means including a switching said storage tubes at their rate of production, and means to sequentially remove and transmit the stored image signals at a rate corresponding to the rate of transmission of the image signals from said first camera tube.

8. A slow motion television transmitting system comprising a first and second television camera tube, each including a target electrode and means to develope a cathode ray beam, means to deflect the developed cathode ray beam in said first camera tube at a predetermined normal rate to produce image signals, means to deflect the developed cathode ray beam in said second camera tube at arrangement operable to sequentially store the,

produced image signals representative of each television frame at the horizontal and vertical deflection rates on a separate storage tube, means including a second switching arrangement operable to successively remove the stored image signals at a rate slow as compared with the rate at which they were originally produced and stored, the rate of storage bearing a whole number multiple ratio to the removal rate, and means to transmit the removed image signals whereby slow motion television images may be produced.

6. A slow motion television transmittingsystem comprising a first and a second television transmitting camera tube, each including a tar-.

get electrode and means for developing a cathode ray beam, means to deflect the developed cathode ray beam in the first camera tube to scan its target electrode at a first predetermined rate to produce image'signals, means to. deflect the developed cathode ray beam in said second camera tube to scan its target electrode at a second predetermined rate to produce image signals, the said second scanning rate being considerably faster than the said first scanning rate, means to directly transmit the image signals produced by said first camera tube, a. series of television image storage tubes, means ,to store in said storage tubes the image signals produced by said second camera tube at their rate of production, and means to remove and transmit the stored image signals at a rate corresponding to the rate of transmission of said image signals from said first camera tube. a

7. A slow motion television transmitting system comprising a nut and a second television transmitting camera tube, each including a light responsive target electrode, means for developing a cathode ray beam in each of said tubes, means to deflect the developed cathode ray beam in the first camera tube to scan its target electrode at a first predetermined rate to'produce picture signals, means to deflect the developed cathode ray beam in said second camera tube to scan its target electrode at a second predetermined rate to produce picture signals, the said second scanning rate being considerably faster a rate considerably in excess of the normal rate to produce image signals, a plurality of electrostatic charge storage tubes, means including a switching arrangement'for storing in said storage tubes image signals produced over a predetermined length of time by said second camera tube, and means including a second switching arrangement for removing the stored image signals at the saidpredetermlned normal rate.

9. A slow motion television transmitting system comprising a first and second television camera tube, each including a target electrode and means to develop a cathode ray beam, means to deflect the developed cathode ray beam in said first camera tube at a predetermined normal rate to produce image signals, means to deflect the developed cathode ray beam in said second camera tube to develop image signals, the rate of deflection in said second tube being at a rate considerably in excess of the rate of deflection in said first camera tube, a plurality of electrostatic charge storage tubes, means including a switching arrangement for storing image signals produced by said second camera tube over a predetermined length of time upon said storage tubes, and means including a second switching arrangement for removing the stored image signals at a slower rate corresponding to the rate at which image signals are produced by said first camera tube.

10. A slow motion television transmitting system comprising a first'and second television camera tube, each including a target electrode and means to develop a cathode ray beam, means to deflect the developed cathode ray beam in said first camera tube at a predetermined normal rate to produce image signals, means to deflect the developed cathode ray beam in said second camera tube to develop image signals, the rate of deflection in said second tube being at a higher rate and bearing a multiple relationship to the than the said first scanning rate and bearing a series of television image storage tubes, means to sequentially store the image signals produced by said second camera tube as charge images in said predetermined normal rate of deflection, a plurality of electrostatic charge storage tubes each including a storage electrode, means including a switching arrangement for sequentially storing image signals produced by said second camera tube over a predetermined length of time on the storage'electrodes in said storage tubes, means including a second switching arrangement for sequentially removing the stored image signals from the storage electrodes at the said predetermined normal rate, and means to transmit the removed image signals.

11. The method of transmitting a plurality of optical images which comprises the steps of sequentially converting, at a, predetermined rate, the plurality of optical images into a plurality of separate electrostatic charge images, and subsequently sequentially converting, at a difierent predetermined rate, the separate electrostatic charge images into a series of image signals.

12. The method of transmitting a plurality of optical images which comprises the steps of sequentially converting, at a predetermined rate, the plurality of optical images into a plurality of separate electrostatic charge images, and subsequently sequentially converting, at a slower rate, the separate electrostatic charge images into a series of image signals.

' 13. The method of transmitting optical images by television which comprises the steps of generating a series of image signals from the optical images, converting the series of image signals into a series of separate electrostatic charge images, retaining the electrostatic charge images for predetermined time intervals, and revconverting the separate electrostatic charge images into another series of image signals.

14. A television transmitting system including a plurality of charge storage electrodes, means to produce sequentially a series of electrostatic charge images on said storage electrodes from a series of visual representations, the charge distribution of the charge images corresponding to the characteristics of the elemental areas of the visual representations, and means to subsequent- -ly sequentially scan the storage electrodes to produce a series of electrical potential variations means to .convert a series of optical images into a series of image signals, a plurality of electrotical' images of the subject matter into a series of image signals at a diiferent predetermined rate, means to transmit directly the image sigpals-produced by said first camera tube, a series of television image signalstorage tubes, means to store in said storage tubes the image signalsproduced by said second camera tube at their rate of production, means to remove and transmit the stored image signals at a rate corresponding to the rate of transmission of the image signals from said first camera tube, means to illuminate the subject matter, and means to alter the illumination of the subject matter-during periods of operation of said second camera tube.

19. A slow motion television transmitting system comprising a first television camera tube for generating image signals at a predetermined rate corresponding to the subject matter to be transmitted, a second television camera tube for generating image signals at a second predetermined rate corresponding to the subject matter to be transmitted, said second predetermined rate being considerably faster than said first predetermined 'rate and bearing a whole number ratio with respect thereto, means to transmit the image signals generated by said first camera tube at their'rate of production, a series of television static charge storage electrodes, means to sequentially produce a series of electrostatic charge images on the storage electrodes in response to the produced series of image signals, and means to subsequently and sequentially scan the charge storage electrodes to produce another series of image signals from the electrostatic charge images.

1'7. A television transmitting system including means to convert a series of optical images into a series of image signals, a plurality of electrostatic charge storage electrodes, means to sequentially produce at one predetermined rate a. series of electrostatic charge images on the storage electrodes in response to the produced series of image signals, and means to subsequently andsequentially scan the charge storage electrodes at a image signal storage tubes, means to sequentially store the image signals produced by said second camera tube as charge images in said storage tubes at their rate of production, means to sub-' sequently and sequentially remove and transmit the stored image signals at a rate corresponding to the rate of transmission of the image signals from said first camera tub'e, means to illuminate the subject matter to be televised, and means to enhance the illumination during periods of op:

eration of said second television camera tube.

20. A slow motion television-transmitting system comprising a first and second television camera tube, each operative to scan an optical image oi. the subject matter to be transmitted to produce image signals, the rate of scanning in said second camera tube being considerablyin excess of the rate of scanning in said first camera tube and bearing an integer relationship thereto,

slower predetermined rate to produce another series 015 image signals from the electrostatic charge images so that slow motion eilects result from the last named series of image signals.

18. A television transmitting system comprising a first television camera tube for converting optical" images of a subject matter into a series or image signals at one predetermined rate, a

' second television camera tube for converting opa series of television image signal storage tubes, means to sequentially store the image signals produced by said second camera tube as charge images in said storage tubes at their rate of production, means to subsequently and sequentially convert the charge images into a series of imase signals, the rate of conversion corresponding to the scanning rate of said first television camera tube, switch means selective to directly-.transmit image signals produced by said first camera tube or to store and subsequently transmit image signals produced by said second television cameratube, means to illuminate the subject matter to be televised, and a switching device associated with said switch means for increasing the illumination of the subject matter to be televised when said second television camera tube is in operation to produce image signals.

amass N. Gomsm'rn. 

